Outdoors

Action brands sport new styles BY LAYLAN CONNELLY | THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Several rows of different shoe designs by Etnies were put out on display at the Agenda Tradeshow held at the Long Beach convention center. (Isaac Arjonilla/Orange County Register/MCT)) ///ADDITIONAL INFO //// 1/7/14 --agenda.0109 -- ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER - Agenda Tradeshow at Long Beach Convention Center features Orange County surf and skate brands, see what's trending. ///

This time last year, Paul Naude was a front-runner to take over the global surf brand Billabong.

But after his bid fizzled last summer, Naude wasted no time pulling together a team to build a new brand called Vissla, which debuted last week at the Agenda trade show in Long Beach.

Within 120 days of launching, Naude's new group whipped up a full line that included boardshorts, T-shirts, sweaters and upcycled gear made with coconuts and other recycled items. Buyers buzzed as they got a first-time glimpse at the line.

Naude's brand was just one of about 700 action-sports and lifestyle companies showcasing styles that will hit shelves later this year. The event at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center was a chance for retailers and buyers to schmooze, peruse and scout out the latest trends and products from the industry's biggest companies, as well as hot up-and-comers looking to bust into the business.

"It's the most inspiring show I've been to in 15 years," said Bob Hurley, founder of surfwear company Hurley, based in Costa Mesa, Calif. "It's incredible, the energy."

He noted that a cloud of negativity has hovered over past trade show events, with attendees focusing on the hard-hit economy and companies losing money.

"There doesn't seem to be any of that talk, none," Hurley said. "It's more about new ideas and the future."

Here are a few stand-outs from the event from local companies:

The goal of Vissla, Naude said, is to be a modern surf company aimed at the forward-thinking - often eco-minded - young consumer.

Many Vissla garments are crafted with upcycled materials, made with a combination of coconut husks and leftover man-made products. Several boardshorts touted an ethnic South African feel, paying homage to Naude's roots.

Naude also unveiled a new eyewear brand D'Blanc. Naude also announced this week that he has teamed up with longtime women's designers Mandy Fry and Summer Rapp to launch a women's brand. He will serve as CEO of the new brand, which has yet to be named. The brand will be "more fashion than surf," according to the announcement.

"I'm really excited about it. They are two key talents on the women's side of the business and the industry," Naude said.

Vissla's temporary office is in Irvine. Products are expected to hit shelves by April.

O'Neill is focusing on the Jack O'Neill Collection as a growth area aimed at men over 35.

The collection is geared toward surfers who have grown up with the 60-year-old brand and have taken up other water sports such as stand-up paddleboarding and sailing. Button-up shirts are made of higher quality, softer materials. Board shorts can be used both in and out of the water.

"We want it to be the go-to product in the closet, we want your wife to come up and hug you because it feels so good," said Casey Fleming, director of sales for the division. The new additions will be available for fall.

New Billabong International CEO Neil Fiske was checking out the brand's women's collection at the trade show and talked about the future of the Australian company, which has its North American headquarters in Irvine.

Billabong was in a bidding war for more than a year after plummeting stock prices sent shock waves through the surf industry and beyond. The new investor group named Fiske as CEO in September.

"I think our mantra is: fewer, bigger, better," Fiske said.

Fiske said that during the past five years, business got too complex and that the company tried to do too many things.

"So now, it's all about narrowing it down, focusing on things that are more important," he said.

The next order of business is to focus on the bigger brands and assess the growth potential of the company's smaller brands. Billabong owns RVCA, Von Zipper, Sector 9 and Xcel wetsuits.

HURLEY

Hurley unveiled a new wetsuit called "Thermo-light" billed as one of the warmest wetsuit on the market.

The company infused aluminum inside the wetsuit, the idea spawned from space blankets, said Todd Prestage, national sales manager for wetsuits.

Prestage personally tested a 3-millimeter suit in Canada, surfing five sessions in 48-degree water for about three hours. Tests show that the suit raises body temperature by about 2 degrees, and the more a surfer moves, the warmer the body gets, he said.

"I came in totally warm," Prestage said. "The testing so far has been amazing."

The suits come in four colors and will be on the market Aug. 1. Retail costs range from $400 to $450, depending on thickness.

ETNIES

The Lake Forest, Calif.-based company introduced a shoe line that uses foam as a sole instead of rubber, which makes it extremely lightweight. The "evolution foam" will be out in spring and is something that hasn't been done before in the shoe market, spokesman Ashton Maxfield said.

Etnies also is releasing a boot collection using the foam technology, with prices from $95 to $160.

About nine shoes in their collection are part of their "buy a shoe, plant a tree" program, and as of the end of last year, about half a million trees have been planted in Costa Rica and Peru. The goal is to plant another half a million this year.

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